Cooking of foods uses a variety of heating devices such as ovens, stovetops, microwaves, and grills, among other devices. The pans and grates holding the food are placed in communication with heat in order to increase the temperature of the food and thereby cook the food to an appropriate eating condition. Cooking food with grills has become increasingly popular, and a variety of grill devices have been provided, including outdoor and indoor types with the grills heated by charcoal, flammable gas, and other heat emitting sources.
Outdoor cooking with grills has become increasingly popular. Outdoor grills typically use charcoal or flammable gas as a source of heat. The source of heat is separated by a appropriate distance from a metal grill or grate on which the food sits during the cooking process. Once the food is cooked, persons often leave the grill in order to eat while the food is hot. The grill then cools as the flame is removed by the charcoal dying or the gas being turned off.
While the grill properly should be cleaned after use, typically grills are not cleaned. Food, juices, and other debris collect on the grills. Often there is a need to clean the debris from the grates before cooking can begin. Typically, this is accomplished with a wire brush that scrubs away the majority of the burnt-on debris. Often, however, smaller deposits of carbon and food debris remain on the grates. Cleaning such debris and particles from the grates is important as such particles and debris have been considered unhealthy for consumption.
Typically, to clean the grate prior to cooking involves preheating the grill to an elevated temperature. The heated grate is then cleaned by brushing with a metal bristle brush to dislodge debris and the like. Generally, this removes most of the debris. Other debris however becomes baked on and becomes a surface in contact with other foods being cooked on the grate
In addition to cleaning the grill prior to cooking, some cooks also treat the food to be cooked with cooking agents such as vegetable oil, canola oil, seasonings, and the like. The oils facilitate the cooking of the food while the seasonings enhance the flavor. For example some restaurant grill cooks put oil on a cloth and wipe the cloth over the grill after cleaning in order to provide a oiled surface for cooking. Recently, oil has been provided in aerosol spray form for use with grills. Seasonings are typically sprinkled or brushed onto the foods prior to cooking.
While oil and seasonings are useful with cooking, application may be difficult. The spray may flare or flash with a hot flame heat source. A hot grill restricts distance and time for holding a cook's hand or arm near the grill.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved cooking grill cleaning device that facilitates cleaning cooking surfaces while assisting with oiling the cooking surface and seasoning of foods cooked thereon. It is to such that the present invention is directed.